Chris is fluent in German, his mother is Austrian so I am even assuming he speaks German with his mother and is therefore a native speaker.

With all the events in Rome - I still wonder what Madeleine's role is. She did not join the meetings the day before, she did not join the Queens one-on-one with the Pope. She did not join the dinner with Ban-Ki-Moon. What's her role, besides sitting next to her mom and smiling? If she is serious about creating a position for herself as part of the SRF, she needs to be more on the foreground and claim a role for herself. Even Sofia is doing the latter quite effectively IMHO.

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Only the Queen had been granted a one-on-one audience with the pope where the issues of child abuse and Swedens response to the massive refugee problem Europe is facing at the moment.

''The meeting with the Pope was wonderful for the whole family, "says Princess Madeleine.
Her husband, Chris O'Neill was moved afterwards, but also little Leonore.
-She couldn't quite let go of his finger, "says Princess Madeleine.
very thing was set for yesterday's royal visit to the Vatican, and with both joy and blackness. During the morning's audience at the Apostolic Palace, Leonore, 14 months, stole the show and got both the Catholic head of the Church as well as grandmother Silvia to laugh when she held out a key ring which she had in her hand, and every time the Pope tried to receive it , she quickly pulled it back.

'' A very warm man''

The afternoon seminar on trafficking with a focus on children, was much more serious.
- Time after time we hear about children who are exploited. We are all here today, be sure to make our voices heard, urged the queen in her speech speech in the Swedish Research Council handsome house in the Vatican gardens, which was also attended by the minister for Children and the EldelryÅsa Regnér, and Attorney Anna Skarhed.

Afterwards Expressen met with Queen Silvia and Princess Madeleine, who had both met with Pope Francis for the first time.
- I experienced him as a very warm man with a big heart, says the Queen. He gave an honest impression and took these issues seriously.
- We talked about the seminar and so we talked about the refugee situation in southern Italy. He expressed his great gratitude for what Sweden is doing in these issues, said the queen.

'Especially nice to meet the pope''

Now Madeleine is older than when she met the Pope the last time, she was seven years old, and then his name was John Paul II, but the princess remember it well:
- Yes. Even now, it is special to meet the Pope. When I was younger it felt like a long day, now it has gone by much faster, says Madeleine. Your mother the queen said when we met yesterday, it was special to meet the Pope with three generations, her daughter and her granddaughter.What do you think about that?
- Absolutely, it was a very nice moment. I'm pleased that we could be with there as a family. She (Leonore) wanted to sit with Grandma ...
- As mother already said the Pope is a special person and I also believe that Leonore felt it. She behaved (thankfully) very well, but she knew enough that it was special.
- She could not quite let go of his finger, said the princess with a laugh and admits that the meeting might be of the highest importance for her husband.

Leonore liked the gift

Chris O'Neill, who is Catholic knelt and kissed the Pope's ring in the audience.
- It was very special, he was very, very moved. I noted that the royal family had brought prayer books as gifts to the Pope, what did you get back?
- A very beautiful medal and a book he has written in German. I did not know he spoke German, says Queen Silvia and continues:
- One of the prayer books we wrote when the Crown Princess was born, a prayer book from Estelle and one the king and I did together, where the king has taken pictures of Öland. It's very nice.
There's no doubt Leonore liked her gift.
- She got a keychain with a small medal on which was very appreciated, says Madeleine.

Was it as good as it looked?

- Yes, haha.
When the princess is asked by a writer if it was an extra tough day "given the stomach," she answers quickly:
- No not the stomach but perhaps more due the subject. It is a subject that is important, one that we need to talk about.

Changed Shoes

When Expressen, met them again a moment later, we could not help but exclaim "respect" when Madeleine passes by, heavily pregnant with twelve inches high, stiletto heels, she laughs.
- Yes, it's a good day for them today.
Both the princess as well as Queen Silvia now look forward to welcoming the Pope to Sweden one day.
- It would be great fun. John Paul has been to Stockholm, and he expressed that he wanted to come. He likes Sweden.
- He received an invitation, recognizes the queen.''

here's what they said to aftonbladet:
''
The pope met Sweden's Queen, Silvia, Princess Madeleine, Chris O'neill and Princess Leonore

'The visit was planned long ago', said Madeleine regarding why she missed her future sister-in law Sofia Hellqvist's bachelorette weekend.
- 'I was in London and then travelled to Rome. There was no room for a bridal shower', said the princess to Aftonbladet.

Queen Silvia of Sweden handed over a copy of Victoria's prayer book to the Pope and little Princess Leonore got a kiss on the top of her head in thanks.
Leonore, who in June will be big sister, was the only one in the Swedish-British company that did not wear black. Dressed in a white dress, she patiently received the Papal kiss.

Great experience meeting the pope

At the seminar on trafficking yesterday afternoon the Queen said :
– When I founded World Childhood Foundation 16 years ago, I had the idea that it was a pretty uncontroversial action to support the most vulnerable and disadvantaged children.
– In the debate that followed, I was struck by the fact that many put the rights of adults over children.
Missionary sister Eugenia Bonetti said during the seminar on trafficking of her experience from 24 years of work in Africa-and of 'Slaves no more' that she founded. It has helped over 6,000 young women start a new life after years of humiliation as prostitutes.
Later the Queen declared to Aftonbladet:
– There was a common thread between the conversation I had with the Holy Father Francis in the morning and discussion later in the workshop. It's a great experience to meet the Pope. He gives the impression that it was a man who means what he says and promises.

''Its been a tough one''
A happy Princess Madeleine came afterwards out of the seminar.
Holding lightly onto her 7 month belly.
- Sure, there has been pain - but I feel in great shape and can handle this, ' she said to Aftonbladet.
At The Vatican there was also Attorney General Anna Skarhed, child-and gender equality minister Åsa Régner and professor Martin Ingvar of the Karolinska Institute. The Royal Family's visit to Rome ended with a dinner at the Swedish Embassy, where UN secretary general Ban Ki-moon was also in attendance.''

''
Madeleine: it was a nice momentBoth Queen Silvia and Princess Madeleine were very happy and excited about meeting Pope Francis yesterday morning. Queen Silvia got a twenty minute private chat with the Holy Father on the difficult subject of trafficking, as even he is passionate about it. and Princess Madeleine could say that Princess Leonores behaviour was excellent for the most part.
''The Papal meeting went well '' said Madeleine
The Pope is a very special person and I think even Leonore felt it, she behaved thankfully very well, says Princess Madeleine to Swedish Women's Weekly, which was in place at the Vatican.

However Leonore teased the Pope by stretching out a small key ring given to her by him, and the next moment quickly pulling it back when he tried to take it. Then she took the Pope's finger and refused to release it for a long while.
- She loves you, 'said the Princess Madeleine in English to the Pope.

The Pope laughed, and it was noticeable that he is very fond of children. For Chris, who is Catholic, the meeting was also very special, says the princess. He knelt and kissed the Pope's ring.''

[...] With all the events in Rome - I still wonder what Madeleine's role is. She did not join the meetings the day before, she did not join the Queens one-on-one with the Pope. She did not join the dinner with Ban-Ki-Moon. What's her role, besides sitting next to her mom and smiling? [...]

Most likely the Princess saw it as a golden opportunity to meet the Pope in a private audience, ask him for his blessing to rest upon her (Catholic) spouse and their baby. It is very rare to be allowed a private audience with the Pope. Note that also other royals have taken their children to the Pope:

The Duke of Parma visiting the Pope, with his children Prince Carlos (the present Duke), Princess Margarita, Prince Jaime (the present Netherlands Ambassador at the Holy See) and Princess María Carolina with him. See: http://gpdhome.typepad.com/photos/ir...pcion_papa.jpg

I am glad to see that Queen Silvia stuck with protocol and dressed in black to meet the Pope as a Protestant queen should do. That contrasts with Queen Elizabeth II who recently wore a blue/purple suit and a hat in a papal audience.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marty91charmed

Yes, she did. She studied spanish at university and then worked in south america too. I was wondering if the interpreter was needed more for the talk with Madeleine and Chris since the pope doesn't speak english But it seems Chris was heard speak German

The Pope spoke in English in recent visits to South Korea and the Philippines, but he was of course reading from prepared notes. Overall, his English is still pretty bad, but I'm pretty sure he has been working on improving it.

I am glad to see that Queen Silvia stuck with protocol and dressed in black to meet the Pope as a Protestant queen should do. That contrasts with Queen Elizabeth II who recently wore a blue/purple suit and a hat in a papal audience.

And it simply looks good. There are also gradations: on one and the same event at the Vatican (then) Princess Máxima wore a floor length gown while the (then) Princess of Asturias wore a knee length gown. This difference was also visible between Queen Silvia and Princess Madeleine.

And it simply looks good. There are also gradations: on one and the same event at the Vatican (then) Princess Máxima wore a floor length gown while the (then) Princess of Asturias wore a knee length gown. This difference was also visible between Queen Silvia and Princess Madeleine.

I foresee that amongst the new and future Queens its Maxima we can count on for a bit of old fashioned royal glamour.

With all the events in Rome - I still wonder what Madeleine's role is. She did not join the meetings the day before, she did not join the Queens one-on-one with the Pope. She did not join the dinner with Ban-Ki-Moon. What's her role, besides sitting next to her mom and smiling? If she is serious about creating a position for herself as part of the SRF, she needs to be more on the foreground and claim a role for herself. Even Sofia is doing the latter quite effectively IMHO.

Its a typical Madeleine event, she just loves to show up at high profile occasions and show off, have her picture taken in full princess clothes. Bread and butter, not so much.

So it is not extraordinary that Princess Madeleine and her family joined heer mother...

Yes, of course it is a privilege to meet the Pope, I would be truly privileged to have an audience like that.
The only thing is I do not get why Madeleine does not claim a more important role for herself besides joining her mother. She could have attended other meetings that surrounded the visit. Also in the interview, the comes across as very shallow. Only commenting on how special it was, not making a statement on child trafficking as the Queen does.

And it simply looks good. There are also gradations: on one and the same event at the Vatican (then) Princess Máxima wore a floor length gown while the (then) Princess of Asturias wore a knee length gown. This difference was also visible between Queen Silvia and Princess Madeleine.

I believe the then Princess of Asturias were a floor length gown when she and the then Prince of Asturias met the pope shortly after their wedding.

I've had the same thoughts. I can give Madeleine a pass on the dinner since she's quite heavily pregnant. But was the meeting with the pope the only thing she did? She managed to travel to Rome, so a couple of hours of seminars the day before would have been a good idea.

We never see her on the bread and butter events that the rest of the Royal family (now also including Carl Philip) does. She just pops up now and then when it suits her. I think that the only reason she, along with Chris and Leonore, took this trip was that Chris is a catholic. Meeting the pope is a big thing for him, just like having his child blessed by the pope. And it's good PR for the family as a whole, in some aspects.

But wait... she did attend the seminars.
On Sunday the Queen received The European Humanitate Prize, and therefor is it not necessary for Princess Madeleine to attend.
On Monday on the other hand the whole family was received in an audience with the Pope and in the afternoon the Queen and Princess Madeleine attended the seminar (which they actually were in Rome for). In the evening a dinner was held at the Swedish embassy.

I am not sure if Chris is religious, but, being Catholic, it must be upsetting to him that he had to marry in a Lutheran service and baptize his daughter in the Church of Sweden (a legal requirement for Leonore to remain in the line of succession). Maybe presenting Leonore to the Pope was a way of making up to him.

I suspect Queen Maxima (who BTW is a personal friend of the Pope) may feel likewise, but she never presented her daughters to the Pope AFAIK.

I am not sure if Chris is religious, but, being Catholic, it must be upsetting to him that he had to marry in a Lutheran service and baptize his daughter in the Church of Sweden (a legal requirement for Leonore to remain in the line of succession). Maybe presenting Leonore to the Pope was a way of making up to him.
.

Madeleine said afterwards to reporters that Chris was very moved when meeting the pope.